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Wear

Worn Teeth

Wear has causes, and restoring worn teeth without addressing the cause is how expensive dentistry fails early. The first job is working out which mechanism is at work.

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The usual mechanisms

Grinding and clenching
Tooth against tooth under heavy load.
Acid erosion
Diet, reflux, or frequent acidic drinks softening enamel.
Abrasion
Aggressive brushing, often with recession alongside.
Bite discrepancy
Certain teeth carrying more load than they should.
A combination
Common, and the reason a single explanation is often wrong.

Why cause before treatment

Restoring worn teeth changes their shape and how they meet. If the underlying grinding or acid exposure continues, the new work is exposed to the same forces that wore the originals — often more, because restorations are less forgiving than enamel.

So the sequence is usually: identify the mechanism, protect against it, then restore what needs restoring. That may include a nightguard, dietary change, or medical referral for reflux.

What we can explain here — and what needs an exam

A page can inform you. It cannot examine you.

We can explain online
The mechanisms of tooth wear
Why cause comes before restoration
What protection options exist
Determined after an exam
Which mechanism applies to you
How much wear has occurred
Whether restoration is needed now or monitoring is enough

What to do next

Wear is measurable over time. Getting a baseline recorded now is useful even if nothing needs treating yet.

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Teeth grindingCracked toothRestorative dentistryCold sensitivity

General information reviewed by Mankirat Gill, DDS · August 2026. Not a substitute for an in-person examination.